andyberg Posted May 29, 2020 Share Posted May 29, 2020 When locking the car should give 1 toot and 2 toots when unlocking, from what I can remember. Sometimes, and it's a known problem with these cars, the air comes in from the air vents and sets off the alarm. When you unlock I believe the alarm goes off briefly to warn you this has happened. It happened a couple of times with me. There is a way to turn off the interior sensor, it involves inserting and removing the card from the car 4 times, before opening the door and after switching the engine off It's in the handbook somewhere. The balloon smell? No idea. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr_Bo11ox Posted May 29, 2020 Share Posted May 29, 2020 Worth checking that no-one is burning any balloons near where the car is parked before getting into any diagnostic stuff blakey79, Semi-C, Tepper and 3 others 1 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bramz7 Posted May 29, 2020 Author Share Posted May 29, 2020 That's a fair point @Mr_Bo11ox, unfortunately it seems to be localised to the car and following it around too. This is when I discover a pack of balloons on the manifold isn't it? @andyberg thanks for that, that clears that quandary up. Mr_Bo11ox 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bramz7 Posted June 1, 2020 Author Share Posted June 1, 2020 Well a week into ownership and it's been fine. Definitely amongst the most powerful 4 cylinder diesels I've driven. I've also expertly deduced that the rattle is an engine or gearbox mount. Shame the Laguna 2 has a pants reputation as they're nice to drive and really comfortable. The seats are probably amongst the best in a modern*. In other news, a work colleague has made noises to me about their dad wanting to shift a late ZR 160. I've seen some photos and it looks decent, EML notwithstanding. Low mileage as well. I've tried to gently get an idea of price out of them and my feeling is they would take £600 or so. I definitely can't handle 4 cars on fleet though, so there is a possibility it may appear on here at some stage for sale. Of course, I might have insulted them inadvertently with the brief money talk. andyberg 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bramz7 Posted June 5, 2020 Author Share Posted June 5, 2020 Ooo err what is this! I don't use sat nav as I prefer to use the signs that were put up to be read, but useful none the less. Can't seem to get it to turn off now. I've started making a list of bits to get. Air filter still the first thing, as it sounds quite odd at idle. Not like it's hunting or pulsing but the pitch and tone of the idle changes. Also, the female voice in the car is hilariously upright. Nothing like the bloke in the original Laguna who seems to be having a great time living in the dashboard. Sadly I think the rear bushes are starting to go. There's a subtle but noticeable oscillation in the rear when going over bumps. Someone I work with scrapped his Laguna 2 due to this, but he seems to be a proper bangernomics sort, he replaced it with a 2.2 Primera. Dreadful. HMC, Coprolalia and Wingz123 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wuvvum Posted June 5, 2020 Share Posted June 5, 2020 37 minutes ago, bramz7 said: Ooo err what is this! I don't use sat nav as I prefer to use the signs that were put up to be read, but useful none the less. Can't seem to get it to turn off now. The (pre-facelift) V6 Initiale I once owned had sat nav like that. Unfortunately the map was stuck in Southend-on-Sea, and the screen had a big arrow at the top telling you in what direction, and how far, you were from Southend. Which was of limited use when trying to find one's way round an unfamiliar housing estate in Kings Lynn. Skizzer, MJK 24, paulplom and 1 other 2 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andyberg Posted June 6, 2020 Share Posted June 6, 2020 To turn it off you have to push and hold on of the buttons by the twiddly knob thing for a couple of seconds. If remember it is the 'map/man' button. I turned it off because it's about 13 years out of date and the most up to date disc available is still only 2014! Hope this helps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bramz7 Posted June 15, 2020 Author Share Posted June 15, 2020 Good god, I love this car. I know it's only a 200ish hp V6 but it's such a sublime driving thing. I guess the most similar thing I've owned was a 156 V6, which had more go at the higher end of the rev range, and had a better chassis for the power, but this feels more effortless from the low and mid end. Plus it sounds better, which is probably due to the exhaust blow it has. Can't see this one ever leaving me, soz. I do now need a more straight forward daily. For some reason I really want an early A4 TDI. Brodders, Mrcento, RobT and 11 others 14 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bramz7 Posted June 15, 2020 Author Share Posted June 15, 2020 Also, of note too is that this has the cheapest insurance I've ever purchased (that isn't classic) at a couple of pennies over £300 fully comp and £2500 value. Interesting given that the V6 was apparently group 30 in ye olden days. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobT Posted June 15, 2020 Share Posted June 15, 2020 7 hours ago, bramz7 said: Can't see this one ever leaving me, soz. For bramz to say that shows just how good it is folks. Mind you, that's still a bold statement old fruit... 95 quid Peugeot and adw1977 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bramz7 Posted June 19, 2020 Author Share Posted June 19, 2020 So tomorrow has become a collection day. Obviously lockdown pent up something inside me, because this has started to get out of hand. Clues? Well it's probably a bit anticlimactic, and was road tested in this magazine: Stevebrookman, Twisty, Six-cylinder and 2 others 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bramz7 Posted June 20, 2020 Author Share Posted June 20, 2020 Well 155V6 managed to guess the correct brand earlier, so here it is: Oh good work bramz, I assume you got the 1.9 TDI as it's an MPG beast, suiting the roads you drive, as well as that mileage. Looks tidy too eh? Nope. Yes that badge says 2.6. It's the older V6 which was inherited from the 80 range, so a reasonably low tech 12v with a reasonably low 150hp. However, whilst it's not fast, it's excellent for just lazing about in. The long throw gear change is sublime, and you can slot it in to fifth at 40 and just go from there. The handling is superb, the brakes work intensely well, and the clutch feels spot on. It's only had two owners, and was a real chance find on eBay during some down time at work. And it was 9 miles away! It was up for £795, the seller then (without me asking) said he would take £600 as the last offer he got was £450. The front arches have got a bit crusty, but otherwise it's pretty damn nice. And the interior is a classic Germanic sea of heavy duty black plastic. The seats are a huge step above the last B5 I had, which was like concrete poured inside vandal proof material akin to new train seats. Oh and the air con works. There is a slight clonk from the front and it sounds a little tappy but I'm well happy with how it turned out. RobT, HMC, MondeoBlues and 12 others 15 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wuvvum Posted June 20, 2020 Share Posted June 20, 2020 I'm slightly disappointed - I saw the magazine and was hoping you'd bought a jacked-up X Type. A4 looks nice though - I've never had a B5 but I'm a sucker for a lazy V6. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bramz7 Posted June 20, 2020 Author Share Posted June 20, 2020 Well seemingly every June/July I buy an Audi, and there is dozens of B5s for sale so those are the easiest to acquire now. Obviously they're advancing in age, but for those of us happy to mill about in older cars probably more of a safe bet now. There is a fair few heaps though, and some people want £1500 plus for a run of the mill 1.8. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HMC Posted June 20, 2020 Share Posted June 20, 2020 Wonderful. Great spec combination, I didn’t reallise they carried that engine over into early a4s; I recon it’s a bit of a rarity these days. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HMC Posted June 20, 2020 Share Posted June 20, 2020 HML as always is difficult to interrogate- there’s about a million different iterations of the a4. It says there are 135 2.6 petrols about- and how many manuals? And of those avants? I recon that’s mega rare. @bramz7 you’ve got a great nose for unearthing stuff like this. RobT 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bramz7 Posted June 20, 2020 Author Share Posted June 20, 2020 Curiously I've actually seen a few appear recently, however one was an automatic and the other two were saloons, so the Avant is probably the rarer shape. I would say this though, this is listed without its engine size on the model description, so there must be a few others like that. Genuinely this one sort of fell into my lap, I wasn't actually looking that hard for it. Satisfying. Jerzy Woking 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bramz7 Posted June 21, 2020 Author Share Posted June 21, 2020 So what was CARs verdict on the A4 2.6? They liked it, intriguingly my own findings seem to ape theirs (maybe an untapped potential eh???). They liked how lazy it was, and how the A4 was a revelation of sorts compared to the 80, which they likened to sitting in the bottom of a pit. Oddly, in what must be completely against the grain, the A4 weighs less than it's predecessor. However the conclusion was that the 1.8T was the definitive engine in the B5. Oddly the road test was against the revered E36 and the.........Rover 600. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
camryv6 Posted June 21, 2020 Share Posted June 21, 2020 On 5/29/2020 at 11:03 AM, bramz7 said: That's a fair point @Mr_Bo11ox, unfortunately it seems to be localised to the car and following it around too. This is when I discover a pack of balloons on the manifold isn't it? @andyberg thanks for that, that clears that quandary up. Have you checked for a clown in the boot ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
155V6 Posted June 21, 2020 Share Posted June 21, 2020 20 minutes ago, camryv6 said: Have you checked for a clown in the boot ? I'll have to do that now ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
camryv6 Posted June 21, 2020 Share Posted June 21, 2020 10 minutes ago, 155V6 said: I'll have to do that now ? Have I blinked and he has sold it ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bramz7 Posted June 24, 2020 Author Share Posted June 24, 2020 Still really taken with my A4. It sounds and drives a bit older than it is, the V6 has quite a throaty note to it when it's warming up. Fluid levels seem good, coolant fine, oil mega clean. I was a bit worried today as it STANK of coolant inside the car when I started it up, apparently the heater matrix is an absolute bastard of a job when it fails. I'll have to keep an eye (nose?) on that. I thought it looked quite fitting in its rural setting in this photo. I'm not religious (at all) but like the buildings. I've definitely got a hole in the fleet for something economical though! The Laguna will do reasonable MPG if lightly teased the road, which is boring. This Audi most certainly cannot do better than 32 or so. Not an issue right now given my short commute but eventually I'll need some small petrol or diesel to take over, then decide which V6 to stash away. I've been considering a MK1 Focus as they are pennies to run (or is this a falsehood?), a posh spec 206 or a rare JTD 1.9 Punto. Jim Bell 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
loserone Posted June 24, 2020 Share Posted June 24, 2020 What you need is an HDI Peugeot Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bramz7 Posted June 24, 2020 Author Share Posted June 24, 2020 @loserone Yeah if you mean 206 HDI! I would love to bite your hand off for the 406 but I think I have enough of that size car.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
loserone Posted June 24, 2020 Share Posted June 24, 2020 I have a 306 too ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bramz7 Posted June 24, 2020 Author Share Posted June 24, 2020 If you've got it in two months, I may be open to a PM loserone 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DoctorRetro Posted June 24, 2020 Share Posted June 24, 2020 No, what you need* is an XUD Rover ? ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bramz7 Posted July 6, 2020 Author Share Posted July 6, 2020 So Laguna, time to spend some money! Exhaust blow needs sorting. I want this to get a stainless steel from the cat back, I assume it's going to be in the region of £400. I've asked for some quotes and am still waiting. Tyres. Now it's been ages since I've bought a full set of tyres, and I'm wondering what is the best way to go. I'm not spending nearly £95 a corner on Michelin's or Continentals, I've been recommended Hankook or Uniroyal. Does anyone else have suggestions? I also need to source and fit a Naples Red drivers side front wing. I'm not sure why this one has been rust eaten so badly. I've also then got to sort out my 205 which is still down in Brighton with everyone's favourite East Sussex shiter. I've also got to drop off and collect cars this weekend. Love being kept busy! RobT and Jim Bell 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
big_al_granvia Posted July 6, 2020 Share Posted July 6, 2020 uniroyal rain expert are great in the wet, toyo proxeys good all rounders... keep away from the teflon tyes like sava, arrowspeed etc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andyrew Posted July 6, 2020 Share Posted July 6, 2020 Running rain experts all round on the Astra, done around 6k on them and I'd say about half worn now. About a thousand or so of those miles was with the tracking a bit on the piss. Mine are full fat balloon profile so id say lower profile would wear a bit more. I Would happily fit them again when the time comes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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